Go green: NDSU, students work to preserve the environment

If you have a passion for the environment, NDSU is the place for you.

The Environmental Sustainability Club is a student group with the goal to help preserve the world around us. The club meets twice each month and is always looking for new members who care about the air we breathe and the water we drink.

“Getting involved in green activities is a great way to reduce my own carbon foot print and spread awareness to others,” said club secretary Amanda Garcia, a biochemistry and molecular biology major from Anoka, Minnesota. “Reducing, reusing and recycling result in economic and health benefits as well as having an environmental impact.”

The club recently hosted a campus thrift shop to demonstrate an alternative way to shop that reduces the impact on the environment. Other efforts have included an educational session featuring a MinnKota Recycling representative and the City of Fargo’s recycling coordinator and a tour of the local recycling facility. Future plans call for tree plantings and reaching out to local companies about switching to reusable products like straws and cups.

“Environmental sustainability is a major talking point in our culture. Our younger generations realize that environmental issues have and will continue to impact their lives,” said Kate Nelson DeShaw, who chairs the NDSU Staff Senate’s Environmental Sustainability Committee. “I care about these things – I want to see our campus become a bigger player in waste reduction and increased energy sustainability.”

Nelson DeShaw points out that NDSU has recycling bins at numerous locations around campus, is installing LED light bulbs and new buildings are designed to be as green as possible.

“We have very active students involved in environmental sustainability, and it’s heartening for me to see movement in that direction,” said Nelson DeShaw, noting that interested students can become involved by contacting the club through MyNDSU online or stopping by the Student Activities office for information. “We want new voices, new ideas and new perspectives to keep thinking of ways to increase our message across campus.”

North Dakota State University is distinctive as a student-focused, land-grant, research university. We are a top-ranked institution, providing affordable access to an excellent education that combines teaching and research in a rich learning environment. We educate leaders who solve national and global challenges – our graduates shape a better world.